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One I have already posted, some years back, and since then the programmes available to tidy up images have improved. So too, I think, has my inclination to re-visit some photos and try to improve them.
D1016 Western Gladiator is, in the revamped version, looking a lot better for the tweaking. You can actually see the detail on the lower part of the front!
At least part of the trailing load is china clay by the looks of it.
The old fashioned tarpaulin covers on the wagons were designed to keep the load dry - as can be imagined, damp is not really an ideal addition to the clay. It wasn't long before the tarpaulins were replaced by clay hoods which were a much more robust design.
Sadly, this is all long gone from the railway scene. The joy of seeing a freight such as this clattering along is but a memory - there isn't the capacity for slow speed traffic like this n between the much faster passenger trains. It was bad enough back then on a Summer Saturday with the sheer volume of traffic and services similar to this getting looped to let the passenger trains go past.
Now the freights, such as they are, travel much quicker. Enthusiasts can sit at the track side now and read a book for quite a while without any distraction from the passing traffic - such as it is. Have passenger numbers really increased down here or is it in other parts of the country?
Manchester Victoria has many shorter passenger services than I remember while the freight services can be be monsters. One particular freight is so long it presents a challenge pathing it through the area. The loco is through Man Vic while the tail is still on Miles Platting bank. There isn't capacity to route it on the line through Bolton so it takes a different route.
If anything, a passenger service would have to be looped to let this monster go past because what loops are left are unlikely to accommodate it.
Besides, the driver would have a potential nightmare restarting it. The prospect of "stalling" it and causing chaos is a distinct possibility. Better to keep it rolling as any restart would be somewhat slow.
Now if they had the super Western design that never was, maybe things would be different?
Beaucoup disent que la Suède n’est qu’un petit pays et que ce que nous faisons n’a pas d’importance. Mais j’ai appris qu’on n’est jamais trop petit pour faire une différence. Et si quelques enfants peuvent faire les gros titres partout dans le monde simplement parce qu’ils ne vont pas à l’école, imaginez ce que nous pourrions faire ensemble si nous le voulions. Mais pour ça, nous devons parler clairement, même si ça peut-être inconfortable.
Vous parlez de croissance économique verte et durable, parce que vous avez peur d’être impopulaires. Vous parlez de poursuivre les mêmes mauvaises idées qui nous ont mis dans cette situation, alors que la seule réaction logique est de tirer le frein à main.
Vous n’êtes pas assez matures pour dire les choses comme elles sont. Même ce fardeau vous le laissez à nous, les enfants. Mais je me moque d’être impopulaire. Je tiens à la justice climatique et à une planète vivante. Notre civilisation est sacrifiée pour permettre à une petite poignée de gens de continuer à gagner d’énormes sommes d’argent. Notre biosphère est sacrifiée pour que des personnes riches, dans des pays comme le mien, puissent vivre dans le luxe.
Ce sont les souffrances du plus grand nombre qui paient pour le luxe de quelques-uns.
En 2078 je fêterai mes 75 ans. Si j’ai des enfants, peut-être qu’ils passeront cette journée avec moi. Peut-être qu’ils me demanderont de parler de vous. Peut-être qu’ils me demanderont pourquoi vous n’avez rien fait alors qu’il était encore temps d’agir.
Vous dites que vous aimez vos enfants par dessus tout et pourtant vous volez leur futur devant leurs yeux. Jusqu’à ce que vous vous concentriez sur ce qui doit être fait plutôt que sur ce qui est politiquement possible, il n’y a aucun espoir. Nous ne pouvons pas résoudre une crise sans la traiter comme telle. Nous devons laisser les énergies fossiles dans le sol et nous devons nous concentrer sur l’équité. Et si les solutions sont introuvables à l’intérieur du système, alors peut-être devons nous changer de système. Nous ne sommes pas venus ici pour supplier les dirigeants du monde de s’inquiéter. Vous nous avez ignoré par le passé et vous nous ignorerez encore. Nous sommes à court d’excuses et nous sommes à court de temps. Nous sommes venus ici pour vous dire que c’est l’heure du changement, que ça vous plaise ou non. Le vrai pouvoir appartient au peuple.
Discours de Greta Thunberg à la COP24 .
www.preservonslaplanete.com/…/associations_environne…
Lieu photo : Montreux, Suisse.
#sauvonslaplanete #ecologie #wwf #greenpeace #montreux #suisse #CransMontana #cransmontana #fabricelecoqfoto
The refurbishment programme started in 1988 to update the 4-VEP EMU's was a long drawn out affair driven by the fact BR had no spare stock so units were rebuilt on a largely one in and one out of works basis so the overhaul programme took seven years to complete. The units gained new lighting and a public address system but the biggest change was to the Motor Coach which was almost 50% guards brake and luggage/parcels van on the original sets. The refurbished sets saw the brake van area reduced by half with additional seating bays. To speed up overhauls BR had several motor coaches from disbanded sets and seeing as these vehicles took longest in works most sets ended up with motor coaches from other units after overhaul.
Set 3471 seen here was outshopped from Eastleigh Works after its mid life refurbishment in April 1989 and comprised vehicles from class 423/0 set 3084 and the motor coach from 3108. The unit is standing at Maidstone East while working train 1N62 the 10.50 Ramsgate to London Charing Cross.
The road network of Madagascar, comprising about 4,500 unique roads spanning 31,640 kilometers (19,660 mi), is designed primarily to facilitate transportation to and from Antananarivo, the Malagasy capital. Transportation on these roads, most of which are unpaved and two lanes wide, is often dangerous. Few Malagasy own private vehicles; long-distance travel is often accomplished in taxi brousses ('bush taxis') which may be shared by 20 or more people.
While most primary roads are in good condition, the World Food Programme has classified nearly two-thirds of the overall road network as being in poor condition. These conditions may make it dangerous to drive at moderate-to-high speeds and dahalo (bandit) attacks pose a threat at low speeds. Many roads are impassable during Madagascar's wet season; some bridges (often narrow, one-lane structures) are vulnerable to being swept away. Few rural Malagasy live near a road in good condition; poor road connectivity may pose challenges in health care, agriculture, and education.
Drivers in Madagascar travel on the right side of the road. On some roads, to deter attacks from dahalo, the government of Madagascar requires that drivers travel in convoys of at least ten vehicles. Car collision fatalities are not fully reported, but the rate is estimated to be among the highest in the world. Random police checkpoints, at which travelers are required to produce identity documents, are spread throughout the country. Crops are transported by ox cart locally and by truck inter-regionally. Human-powered vehicles, once the only means of road transport, are still found in the form of pousse-pousses (rickshaws). Taxi brousses constitute a rudimentary road-based public transportation system in Madagascar. Rides on taxi brousses cost as little as 200 Malagasy ariary (roughly US$0.10) as of 2005, and vehicles involved are often overpacked, sometimes with the assistant driver riding on the outside of the vehicle. Stops on their routes are generally not fixed, allowing passengers to exit at arbitrary points.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driving_in_Madagascar
www.roadtripafrica.com/madagascar/practical-info/driving-...
internationaldriversassociation.com/madagascar-driving-gu...
La red de carreteras de Madagascar, que comprende alrededor de 4.500 carreteras únicas que abarcan 31.640 kilómetros (19.660 millas), está diseñada principalmente para facilitar el transporte hacia y desde Antananarivo, la capital malgache. El transporte por estas carreteras, la mayoría de las cuales no están pavimentadas y tienen dos carriles de ancho, suele ser peligroso. Son pocos los malgaches que poseen vehículos privados; Los viajes de larga distancia a menudo se realizan en taxis ("taxis rurales") que pueden ser compartidos por 20 o más personas.
Si bien la mayoría de las carreteras principales están en buenas condiciones, el Programa Mundial de Alimentos ha clasificado casi dos tercios de la red vial general como en malas condiciones. Estas condiciones pueden hacer que sea peligroso conducir a velocidades de moderadas a altas y los ataques de dahalo (bandidos) representan una amenaza a bajas velocidades. Muchas carreteras son intransitables durante la estación húmeda de Madagascar; algunos puentes (a menudo estructuras estrechas de un solo carril) son vulnerables a ser arrastrados. Son pocos los malgaches rurales que viven cerca de una carretera en buenas condiciones; La mala conectividad vial puede plantear desafíos en la atención de salud, la agricultura y la educación.
Los conductores en Madagascar circulan por el lado derecho de la carretera. En algunas carreteras, para disuadir los ataques desde Dahalo, el gobierno de Madagascar exige que los conductores viajen en convoyes de al menos diez vehículos. Las muertes por colisiones automovilísticas no se informan en su totalidad, pero se estima que la tasa se encuentra entre las más altas del mundo. Por todo el país hay puestos de control policial aleatorios, en los que los viajeros deben presentar documentos de identidad. Los cultivos se transportan en carretas de bueyes a nivel local y en camiones a nivel interregional. Los vehículos de propulsión humana, que alguna vez fueron el único medio de transporte por carretera, todavía se encuentran en forma de pousse-pousses (rickshaws). Los taxis constituyen un rudimentario sistema de transporte público por carretera en Madagascar. Los viajes en taxi cuestan tan solo 200 ariary malgaches (aproximadamente 0,10 dólares estadounidenses) en 2005, y los vehículos involucrados suelen estar demasiado llenos, a veces con el asistente del conductor viajando en el exterior del vehículo. Las paradas en sus rutas generalmente no son fijas, lo que permite a los pasajeros salir en puntos arbitrarios.
traslashuellasdemir.com/destinos-irresistibles/madagascar...
internationaldriversassociation.com/es/madagascar-driving...
Courir, jouer, nager, le programme de Lewis l'infatigable
Running, playing, swimming, Lewis'program, he is tireless
Complete photo coverage on www.photos-automobiles.com
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Le sentier des Douaniers, également connu sous le nom de GR 34 était autrefois utilisé par les douaniers pour lutter contre la contrebande. Ce chemin relie le port de Ploumanac'h à la plage de Trestraou et est l'une des balades les plus prisées des Côtes d'Armor.
I am loving this look.
At the time of posting this I am watching a programme on TV about Muslim drag queens and the abuse and danger they face being who they are and the impact they are having on the Muslim community . Sadly this part of our community doesn't have the freedom I have to express themselves.
We each have our own little battles!
Enfin une framboise dessinée par un algorithme :)
set colorpool list:#ec3f8b,#cc175b,#cb3b9f
rule couche1 {
10 * { x -0.5 ry 35 color random } sphere
}
rule couche2 {
8 * { x -0.5 ry 45 color random } sphere
}
rule couche3 {
5 * { x -0.5 ry 75 color random } sphere
}
rule framboise {
{ y 0 } couche1
{ y 0.5 z 0.25 } couche2
{ y -0.5 z 0.25 } couche2
{ y 0.75 z 0.5 } couche3
{ y -0.75 z 0.5 } couche3
}
framboise
1st June 2016 - OECD MCM 2016: Ceremony For the Launch of the OECD Latin America and the Caribbean Regional Programme
OECD, Paris, France.
Photo: OECD/Michael Dean
The Jaguar programme began in the early 1960s, in response to a British requirement (Air Staff Target 362) for an advanced supersonic jet trainer to replace the Folland Gnat T1 and Hawker Hunter T7, and a French requirement (ECAT or École de Combat et d'Appui Tactique, "Tactical Combat Support Trainer") for a cheap, subsonic dual role trainer and light attack aircraft to replace the Fouga Magister, Lockheed T-33 and Dassault Mystère IV. In both countries several companies tendered designs: BAC, Hunting, Hawker Siddeley and Folland in Britain; Breguet, Potez, Sud-Aviation, Nord, and Dassault from France. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed in May 1965 for the two countries to develop two aircraft, a trainer based on the ECAT, and the larger AFVG (Anglo-French Variable Geometry)
Cross-channel negotiations led to the formation of SEPECAT (Société Européenne de Production de l'Avion d'École de Combat et d'Appui Tactique – the "European company for the production of a combat trainer and tactical support aircraft") in 1966 as a joint venture between Breguet and the British Aircraft Corporation to produce the airframe. Though based in part on the Breguet Br.121, using the same basic configuration and an innovative French-designed landing gear, the Jaguar was built incorporating major elements of design from BAC – notably the wing and high lift devices.
Production of components would be split between Breguet and BAC, and the aircraft themselves would be assembled on two production lines; one in the UK and one in France, To avoid any duplication of work, each aircraft component had only one source. The British light strike/tactical support versions were the most demanding design, requiring supersonic performance, superior avionics, a cutting edge nav/attack system of more accuracy and complexity than the French version, moving map display, laser range-finder and marked-target seeker (LRMTS). As a result, the initial Br.121 design needed a thinner wing, redesigned fuselage, a higher rear cockpit, and after-burning engines. While putting on smiling faces for the public, maintaining the illusion of a shared design, the British design defacto departed from the French sub-sonic Breguet 121 to such a degree that it was for all intents and purposes a new design.
A separate partnership was formed between Rolls-Royce and Turbomeca to develop the Adour afterburning turbofan engine. The Br.121 was proposed with Turbomeca's Tourmalet engine for ECAT but Breguet preferred the RR RB.172 and their joint venture would use elements of both. The new engine, which would be used for the AFVG as well, would be built in Derby and Tarnos.
Previous collaborative efforts between Britain and France had been complicated – the AFVG programme ended in cancellation, and controversy surrounded the development of the supersonic airliner Concorde. Whilst the technical collaboration between BAC and Breguet went well, when Dassault took over Breguet in 1971 it encouraged acceptance of its own designs, such as the Super Étendard naval attack aircraft and the Mirage F1, for which it would receive more profit, over the Anglo-French Jaguar.
The initial plan was for Britain to buy 150 Jaguar "B" trainers, with its strike requirements being met by the advanced BAC-Dassault AFVG aircraft, with France to buy 75 "E" trainers (école) and 75 "A" single-seat strike attack aircraft (appui). Dassault favoured its own Mirage G aircraft above the collaborative AFVG, and in June 1967, France cancelled the AFVG on cost grounds. This left a gap in the RAF's planned strike capabilities for the 1970s at the same time as France's cancellation of the AFVG, Germany was expressing a serious interest in the Jaguar, and thus the design became more oriented towards the low-level strike role.
The RAF had initially planned on a buy of 150 trainers; however, with both TSR2 and P.1154 gone, the RAF were looking increasingly hard at their future light strike needs and realizing that they now needed more than just advanced trainers with some secondary counter insurgency capability. The RAF's strike line-up was at this point intended to consist of American F-111s plus the AFVG for lighter strike purposes. There was concern that both F-111 and AFVG were high risk projects and with the French already planning on a strike role for the Jaguar, there was an opportunity to introduce a serious backup plan for the RAF's future strike needs - the Jaguar.
While the RAF had initially planned to buy 150 trainers, the TSR2 and p.1154 were gone, and believing that both the US F-111 and AFVG were high-risk programs, and with the French already planning a strike role for their Jaguar, the MOD suddenly realized they were in bad need of a new light strike aircraft capable of delivering tactical nuclear weapons. As a result, by October 1970, the RAF's requirements had changed to 165 single-seat strike aircraft and 35 trainers.
The Jaguar was to replace the McDonnell Douglas Phantom FGR2 in the close air support, tactical reconnaissance and tactical strike roles, freeing the Phantom to be used for air defence. Both the French and British trainer requirements had developed significantly, and were eventually fulfilled instead by the Alpha Jet and Hawker Siddeley Hawk respectively. The French, meanwhile, had chosen the Jaguar to replace the Aeronavale's Dassault Étendard IV, and increased their order to include an initial 40 of a carrier-capable maritime version of the Jaguar, the Jaguar M, for the Aeronavale. From these apparently disparate aims would come a single and entirely different aircraft: relatively high-tech, supersonic, and optimised for ground-attack in a high-threat environment.
Display in the Theatre of past Posters/Flyers/Programmes
The Winter Gardens Morecambe opened in 1897 as the Victoria Pavillion Concert Hall and Variety Theatre, as an extension to the existing Winter Gardens Complex which opened in 1878. Over the years it was the home of the internationally renowned Morecambe Music Festival, played host to Sir Edward Elgar, the Halle Orchestra and many others from variety, music and theatre. From The Who to Dame Julie Andrews, Chung Ling Soo to Lawrence Olivier, the venue’s history is a roll call of stars of popular music and variety theatre.
Built as both a concert hall and variety theatre, its 2500 capacity was one of the largest in the North West and it quickly became known as the Albert Hall of the North. With its lavish interiors, striking architectural features and a view to rival the bay of Naples, the Winter Gardens was at the heart of a thriving seaside resort. By the mid-1970s, its fortunes were in decline and by 1977, the decision was taken to close the whole complex, culminating in 1982 with the demolition of the original Winter Gardens leaving only the Theatre remaining and in a perilous position.
However, a group of dedicated people formed the Friends of the Winter Gardens and have worked together since then with one aim to reopen the building that was once at the heart of Morecambe both architecturally and as a centre for culture and entertainment. With the formation of the Preservation Trust in 2006, ownership of the Winter Gardens was transferred to the charitable body who have spent years cleaning, restoring, and fundraising to continue this aim. Now under new governance, the Preservation Trust with the help of our restoration volunteers and the Friends of the Winter Gardens are a step closer to those dreams of many decades ago to finally restoring this remarkable Grade II* listed building. [Winter Gardens Website]
c/n 212002.
Built 1969.
XW175 spent her entire career as a test aircraft and was fundamental in the development of Vectored thrust Aircraft Advanced Control, or ‘VAAC’ for short.
Retired in 2010, she is believed to eventually be destined for the RAF Museum, although she currently remains safely stored with the Defence School of Aeronautical Engineering (DSAE).
Seen on static display at the 2018 Cosford Airshow.
RAF Cosford, Shropshire, UK.
10th June 2018
The following extensive history for XW175 is from the fascinating Bedford Aeronautical Heritage Group website:-
“Harrier XW175 was unique as a military aircraft as it spent all of its working life at RAE Bedford and Boscombe Down in support of innovative STOVL research programmes.
A two-seat second development batch T2 aircraft, XW175 first flew in 1969. It was delivered to RAE Bedford from BAe in February 1975. The aircraft extended the VTOL legacy at RAE Bedford following the Bedstead and the Short's SC1, and operated in research and development tasks for future STOVL concepts.
In the early 1970’s RAE was tasked by MoD to enable Sea Harriers to recover to a vertical landing on a ship at night in poor visibility. XW175 was allocated as the trials aircraft and thus began its illustrious 38 year research career at RAE Bedford and then post 1996 at Boscombe Down.
During 1977/78 two sea trials were completed with HMS Hermes. The research programmes included recovery to the ship using MADGE guidance, Head Up Display symbology, ski-jump launch, auto-stabiliser and autopilot development, pilot work-load measurements using heart rate measurements and later Forward Looking Infra Red vision demonstrations.
In the early 1980’s, studies into future advanced STOVL aircraft concepts, as a planned replacement for the Harrier, indicated that flight control at low speed and hover would be more complex than the Harrier. This situation started a research programme into novel pilot control methods to address ASTOVL control and was led by XW175. The basic idea was that the pilot's control of the aircraft was to be as similar as possible to conventional aircraft thus significantly reducing type conversion time for pilots and the training costs.
To test the design principles the aircraft had to be converted to a fly-by-wire aircraft such that digital techniques could be implemented. The aircraft modifications were made at the College of Aeronautics, Cranfield, The installations provided a full authority fly-by-wire system with links to the aerodynamic surface actuators and the engine thrust and thrust vector control actuation. It retained the basic mechanical control system to provide flight safety and meet airworthiness requirements. This approach allowed software to be introduced without having to address the rigour required to meet the full flight safety standards of fly-by-wire aircraft. The aircraft was also fitted with the MODAS recording system and a telemetry system for trials monitoring. The aircraft became known as the Vectored thrust Aircraft Advanced Control (VAAC).
Over the period 1986-2004, several different control and safety concepts were developed with UK Universities and Industry. Simulation played a major role in concept testing and the Bedford Advanced Flight Simulator with its large motion capability was critical for this task. Concept designs were assessed against a range of flight specific tasks prior to flight trials. The most important task was the ability to land vertically on a rolling, pitching and heaving ship deck which was where the Bedford Advanced Flight Simulator with its visual and motion systems provided a risk free and realistic testing environment. This method also provided the confidence to proceed to flight trials and ultimately the first ever deck landing with what became known as the 'Unified' control technique.
The implementation allowed an untrained Harrier pilot to fly the aircraft like a conventional aircraft with the addition that there were no restrictions due to the conventional wing stall speed. Thus it made possible the continued control of the aircraft down to zero airspeed with the wing lift blending from aerodynamic control seamlessly to direct lift control from the engine without any additional effort required from the pilot, unlike the conventional Harrier. Initially the technique was not well received by the majority of experienced Harrier pilots.
Many further assessments were to slowly change the mind set with much discussion in two pilot camps as to the pros and cons of the technique. Between the mid 1980's and mid 1990's RAE collaborated with NASA Ames research centre into the application of advanced digital control techniques to support ASTOVL aircraft concepts. This joint platform provided not only an excellent exchange of ideas between UK and US pilots and scientists but also promoted pilot debate on the merits of such advanced control methods. Pilot acceptability remained unresolved up to the early part of the Joint Strike Fighter programme. Then the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) contribution to the programme through the JSF Program Office (JPO) became significant through a joint targeted programme in support of the JSF STOVL variant (Lockheed Martin F-35B).
In 2002 the Bedford Unified control concept was selected for the JSF STOVL variant. XW175 was also part of the Empire Test Pilots School's training syllabus for a few years at this time.
The JPO continued to support further STOVL developments with several ship trials with XW175 and HMS Illustrious, HMS Invincible and the French carrier Charles de Gaulle. These trials introduced guidance techniques for automatic recovery along side a ship with an automatic vertical landing capability, some 30 years after the original HMS Hermes trials with XW175 in 1977 and some 35 years after the certification of Civil automatic landing systems back in the BLEU days. Technology advancements had bridged this time period and the gradual acceptance of the new control concepts.
With the established STOVL flight control standard, XW175 in its new livery continued to support JSF recovery requirements to ships with a 60 knot airspeed approach and landing method referred to as 'Ship Rolling Vertical Landing' (SRVL). This approach speed provided JSF with ship recovery flexibility as a percentage of wing lift at this airspeed would offset engine direct lift and enhance safety margins.
In conjunction with this programme ship deck lighting was developed for poor visibility and night recovery to ships. This programme produced the new 'Bedford Array' of deck lights to provide an unambiguous touch down point irrespective of the ship deck motion. The 'Bedford Array' with SRVL provided an effective and alternative solution to ship recovery at night in poor visibility and hence operational flexibility.
Having conducted its last research trial in support of JSF development at Boscombe Down on 18 November 2008, XW175’s final resting place remains to be resolved. BAHG has expressed strong interest in bringing the aircraft back to Bedford, its spiritual home. It is to be hoped that an appropriate resting place can be found for this illustrious aircraft of the Harrier fleet, but which became so unique providing the MOD with many products over its lifetime due to the combined efforts of all the pilots, scientific staff and engineers who had the great privilege to work with her.”
Several contacts have expressed interest and asked questions about the Red Kites, the feeding station and the feeding programme. If you’re not interested, skip this blurb.
I spoke to the RSPB man who told me that Red Kites started relying on human leftovers thousands of years ago, when hunter gatherers would chuck out bones etc after eating their meal. This would have taken place in the afternoon apparently, the hunters having hunted in the morning, cooked and eaten by the afternoon. So the kites got used to having a free meal.... So now they give it to them at 2pm GMT. (3pm BST)
The other purpose served by this gathering of kites is that the young need to learn where the communal winter roosts are, and if they all gather at 2pm for a feed they can follow the older ones to the roosts afterwards. They can’t survive cold winter nights all alone in a tree. So for these reasons they don’t plan to ever stop feeding these kites, its a permanent programme, but he wouldn’t tell me where the roosts are, its secret.
A Red Kite has a wing span of five and a half feet and weighs just 1 kilo. (That wing span is the same as my height !!) But a buzzard has a wing span of 4 feet and weighs 3 kilos. So, the kite is a delicate bird compared to a buzzard and a lot less powerful. From the ground a buzzard can rise four feet with one wing beat, a kite needs three wing beats to rise by the same amount.... this is the explanation the RSPB man gave for their reluctance to come down for the food sometimes, the food is in front of trees, where foxes might be lurking, and they are slow to gain height to escape.
He told me there are four Kite feeding stations in Wales, but this one is the most scenic, and is also the only one that is free. You only have to pay for the car park (£1.50). The location is Bwlch Nant yr Arian, on the A44 between the villages of Llywernog and Cwmbrwyno (and in case you think there aren’t enough vowels in that name, a “w” in Welsh is pronounced “oo”). There is also a cafe, toilets, children’s playground, walks and mountain bike trail. Good views too if the weather is right. I'll post a picture or two soon of the views I took today.
If you plan to visit, make sure to know that the weather is going to be good, its in the mountains and when its bad its very bad. Winter is great for the light if its sunny, the sun being low enough to light their undersides. If its not sunny, there is so little light that you’ll be using ISO 2000, as you’ll probably want a shutter speed of around 1000th sec.
If you do plan a visit, be sure to let me know, its only about half an hour’s drive from where I live and I might be able to meet you.
Headland is a civil parish in the Borough of Hartlepool, County Durham, England. The parish covers the old part of Hartlepool and nearby villages.
History
The Heugh Battery, one of three constructed to protect the port of Hartlepool in 1860, is located in the area along with a museum.
The area made national headlines in July 1994 in connection with the murder of Rosie Palmer, a local toddler.
On 19 March 2002 the Time Team searched for an Anglo-Saxon monastery.
Dominating the skyline is the impressive architectural structure that is St Hilda’s Church. Remnant of Hartlepool’s Saxon heritage and undoubtedly the crowning glory of the Headland, this church is a must-see attraction. After her stay in Hartlepool, the Abbess of the church progressed along the coast to Whitby and this spiritual journey can be explored through ‘The Way of St Hild’ walking trail.
A great way to explore the historic Headland is by finding and following the Headland Story Trail. The trail features 18 different information boards, each telling a story of the areas fascinating heritage from tales of shipwreck to the legend of the Hartlepool monkey. A truly interactive and fun walking experience!
Other landmarks of note include the impressive Town Wall, dating from the 14th century. This grade I listed, scheduled ancient monument still guards the Headland, and was originally built to keep out the twin threats of raiding Scots and the rigours of the North Sea.
The Borough Hall is another striking building and dates back to 1865. This gorgeous entertainment venue hosts an action-packed events programme so be sure to keep an eye out for all upcoming events here.
Dive into the town’s military history at The Heugh Battery Museum – this restored coastal defence battery protected the town throughout both World Wars. An enchanting historical sight with the original barrack room, underground magazines, coastal artillery and observation tower, the exhibits tell the story of those who lost their lives and the brave men who defended the area. Refresh with a light bite or sweet treat at the Poppy Café, located within the museum.
Visit the Headland War Memorial to see the magnificent ‘Winged Victory’ – a stunning statue that tributes those who lost their lives during the two world wars.
At the very north of the Headland you will find Spion Kop Cemetery – this historic cemetery supports a species-rich dune grassland and offers fantastic views of the coastline.
Every summer Headland Carnival attracts lively visitors to the area. Packed with thrilling rides, amusing games and live entertainment this week of jam-packed fun is great for all the family.
Hartlepool is a seaside and port town in County Durham, England. It is governed by a unitary authority borough named after the town. The borough is part of the devolved Tees Valley area. With an estimated population of 87,995, it is the second-largest settlement (after Darlington) in County Durham.
The old town was founded in the 7th century, around the monastery of Hartlepool Abbey on a headland. As the village grew into a town in the Middle Ages, its harbour served as the County Palatine of Durham's official port. The new town of West Hartlepool was created in 1835 after a new port was built and railway links from the South Durham coal fields (to the west) and from Stockton-on-Tees (to the south) were created. A parliamentary constituency covering both the old town and West Hartlepool was created in 1867 called The Hartlepools. The two towns were formally merged into a single borough called Hartlepool in 1967. Following the merger, the name of the constituency was changed from The Hartlepools to just Hartlepool in 1974. The modern town centre and main railway station are both at what was West Hartlepool; the old town is now generally known as the Headland.
Industrialisation in northern England and the start of a shipbuilding industry in the later part of the 19th century meant it was a target for the Imperial German Navy at the beginning of the First World War. A bombardment of 1,150 shells on 16 December 1914 resulted in the death of 117 people in the town. A severe decline in heavy industries and shipbuilding following the Second World War caused periods of high unemployment until the 1990s when major investment projects and the redevelopment of the docks area into a marina saw a rise in the town's prospects. The town also has a seaside resort called Seaton Carew.
History
The place name derives from Old English heort ("hart"), referring to stags seen, and pōl (pool), a pool of drinking water which they were known to use. Records of the place-name from early sources confirm this:
649: Heretu, or Hereteu.
1017: Herterpol, or Hertelpolle.
1182: Hierdepol.
Town on the heugh
A Northumbrian settlement developed in the 7th century around an abbey founded in 640 by Saint Aidan (an Irish and Christian priest) upon a headland overlooking a natural harbour and the North Sea. The monastery became powerful under St Hilda, who served as its abbess from 649 to 657. The 8th-century Northumbrian chronicler Bede referred to the spot on which today's town is sited as "the place where deer come to drink", and in this period the Headland was named by the Angles as Heruteu (Stag Island). Archaeological evidence has been found below the current high tide mark that indicates that an ancient post-glacial forest by the sea existed in the area at the time.
The Abbey fell into decline in the early 8th century, and it was probably destroyed during a sea raid by Vikings on the settlement in the 9th century. In March 2000, the archaeological investigation television programme Time Team located the foundations of the lost monastery in the grounds of St Hilda's Church. In the early 11th century, the name had evolved into Herterpol.
Hartness
Normans and for centuries known as the Jewel of Herterpol.
During the Norman Conquest, the De Brus family gained over-lordship of the land surrounding Hartlepool. William the Conqueror subsequently ordered the construction of Durham Castle, and the villages under their rule were mentioned in records in 1153 when Robert de Brus, 1st Lord of Annandale became Lord of Hartness. The town's first charter was received before 1185, for which it gained its first mayor, an annual two-week fair and a weekly market. The Norman Conquest affected the settlement's name to form the Middle English Hart-le-pool ("The Pool of the Stags").
By the Middle Ages, Hartlepool was growing into an important (though still small) market town. One of the reasons for its escalating wealth was that its harbour was serving as the official port of the County Palatine of Durham. The main industry of the town at this time was fishing, and Hartlepool in this period established itself as one of the primary ports upon England's Eastern coast.
In 1306, Robert the Bruce was crowned King of Scotland, and became the last Lord of Hartness. Angered, King Edward I confiscated the title to Hartlepool, and began to improve the town's military defences in expectation of war. In 1315, before they were completed, a Scottish army under Sir James Douglas attacked, captured and looted the town.
In the late 15th century, a pier was constructed to assist in the harbour's workload.
Garrison
Hartlepool was once again militarily occupied by a Scottish incursion, this time in alliance with the Parliamentary Army during the English Civil War, which after 18 months was relieved by an English Parliamentarian garrison.
In 1795, Hartlepool artillery emplacements and defences were constructed in the town as a defensive measure against the threat of French attack from seaborne Napoleonic forces. During the Crimean War, two coastal batteries were constructed close together in the town to guard against the threat of seaborne attacks from the Imperial Russian Navy. They were entitled the Lighthouse Battery (1855) and the Heugh Battery (1859).
Hartlepool in the 18th century became known as a town with medicinal springs, particularly the Chalybeate Spa near the Westgate. The poet Thomas Gray visited the town in July 1765 to "take the waters", and wrote to his friend William Mason:
I have been for two days to taste the water, and do assure you that nothing could be salter and bitterer and nastier and better for you... I am delighted with the place; there are the finest walks and rocks and caverns.
A few weeks later, he wrote in greater detail to James Brown:
The rocks, the sea and the weather there more than made up to me the want of bread and the want of water, two capital defects, but of which I learned from the inhabitants not to be sensible. They live on the refuse of their own fish-market, with a few potatoes, and a reasonable quantity of Geneva [gin] six days in the week, and I have nowhere seen a taller, more robust or healthy race: every house full of ruddy broad-faced children. Nobody dies but of drowning or old-age: nobody poor but from drunkenness or mere laziness.
Town by the strand
By the early nineteenth century, Hartlepool was still a small town of around 900 people, with a declining port. In 1823, the council and Board of Trade decided that the town needed new industry, so the decision was made to propose a new railway to make Hartlepool a coal port, shipping out minerals from the Durham coalfield. It was in this endeavour that Isambard Kingdom Brunel visited the town in December 1831, and wrote: "A curiously isolated old fishing town – a remarkably fine race of men. Went to the top of the church tower for a view."
But the plan faced local competition from new docks. 25 kilometres (16 mi) to the north, the Marquis of Londonderry had approved the creation of the new Seaham Harbour (opened 31 July 1831), while to the south the Clarence Railway connected Stockton-on-Tees and Billingham to a new port at Port Clarence (opened 1833). Further south again, in 1831 the Stockton and Darlington Railway had extended into the new port of Middlesbrough.
The council agreed the formation of the Hartlepool Dock and Railway Company (HD&RCo) to extend the existing port by developing new docks, and link to both local collieries and the developing railway network in the south. In 1833, it was agreed that Christopher Tennant of Yarm establish the HD&RCo, having previously opened the Clarence Railway (CR). Tennant's plan was that the HD&RCo would fund the creation of a new railway, the Stockton and Hartlepool Railway, which would take over the loss-making CR and extended it north to the new dock, thereby linking to the Durham coalfield.
After Tennant died, in 1839, the running of the HD&RCo was taken over by Stockton-on-Tees solicitor, Ralph Ward Jackson. But Jackson became frustrated at the planning restrictions placed on the old Hartlepool dock and surrounding area for access, so bought land which was mainly sand dunes to the south-west, and established West Hartlepool. Because Jackson was so successful at shipping coal from West Hartlepool through his West Hartlepool Dock and Railway Company and, as technology developed, ships grew in size and scale, the new town would eventually dwarf the old town.
The 8-acre (3.2-hectare) West Hartlepool Harbour and Dock opened on 1 June 1847. On 1 June 1852, the 14-acre (5.7-hectare) Jackson Dock opened on the same day that a railway opened connecting West Hartlepool to Leeds, Manchester and Liverpool. This allowed the shipping of coal and wool products eastwards, and the shipping of fresh fish and raw fleeces westwards, enabling another growth spurt in the town. This in turn resulted in the opening of the Swainson Dock on 3 June 1856, named after Ward Jackson's father-in-law. In 1878, the William Gray & Co shipyard in West Hartlepool achieved the distinction of launching the largest tonnage of any shipyard in the world, a feat to be repeated on a number of occasions. By 1881, old Hartlepool's population had grown from 993 to 12,361, but West Hartlepool had a population of 28,000.
Ward Jackson Park
Ward Jackson helped to plan the layout of West Hartlepool and was responsible for the first public buildings. He was also involved in the education and the welfare of the inhabitants. In the end, he was a victim of his own ambition to promote the town: accusations of shady financial dealings, and years of legal battles, left him in near-poverty. He spent the last few years of his life in London, far away from the town he had created.
World Wars
In Hartlepool near Heugh Battery, a plaque in Redheugh Gardens War Memorial "marks the place where the first ...(German shell) struck... (and) the first soldier was killed on British soil by enemy action in the Great War 1914–1918."
The area became heavily industrialised with an ironworks (established in 1838) and shipyards in the docks (established in the 1870s). By 1913, no fewer than 43 ship-owning companies were located in the town, with the responsibility for 236 ships. This made it a key target for Germany in the First World War. One of the first German offensives against Britain was a raid and bombardment by the Imperial German Navy on the morning of 16 December 1914,
Hartlepool was hit with a total of 1150 shells, killing 117 people. Two coastal defence batteries at Hartlepool returned fire, launching 143 shells, and damaging three German ships: SMS Seydlitz, SMS Moltke and SMS Blücher. The Hartlepool engagement lasted roughly 50 minutes, and the coastal artillery defence was supported by the Royal Navy in the form of four destroyers, two light cruisers and a submarine, none of which had any significant impact on the German attackers.
Private Theophilus Jones of the 18th Battalion Durham Light Infantry, who fell as a result of this bombardment, is sometimes described as the first military casualty on British soil by enemy fire. This event (the death of the first soldiers on British soil) is commemorated by the 1921 Redheugh Gardens War Memorial together with a plaque unveiled on the same day (seven years and one day after the East Coast Raid) at the spot on the Headland (the memorial by Philip Bennison illustrates four soldiers on one of four cartouches and the plaque, donated by a member of the public, refers to the 'first soldier' but gives no name). A living history group, the Hartlepool Military Heritage Memorial Society, portray men of that unit for educational and memorial purposes.
Hartlepudlians voluntarily subscribed more money per head to the war effort than any other town in Britain.
On 4 January 1922, a fire starting in a timber yard left 80 people homeless and caused over £1,000,000 of damage. Hartlepool suffered badly in the Great Depression of the 1930s and endured high unemployment.
Unemployment decreased during the Second World War, with shipbuilding and steel-making industries enjoying a renaissance. Most of its output for the war effort were "Empire Ships". German bombers raided the town 43 times, though, compared to the previous war, civilian losses were lighter with 26 deaths recorded by Hartlepool Municipal Borough[19] and 49 by West Hartlepool Borough. During the Second World War, RAF Greatham (also known as RAF West Hartlepool) was located on the South British Steel Corporation Works.
The merge
In 1891, the two towns had a combined population of 64,000. By 1900, the two Hartlepools were, together, one of the three busiest ports in England.
The modern town represents a joining of "Old Hartlepool", locally known as the "Headland", and West Hartlepool. As already mentioned, what was West Hartlepool became the larger town and both were formally unified in 1967. Today the term "West Hartlepool" is rarely heard outside the context of sport, but one of the town's Rugby Union teams still retains the name.
The name of the town's professional football club reflected both boroughs; when it was formed in 1908, following the success of West Hartlepool in winning the FA Amateur Cup in 1905, it was called "Hartlepools United" in the hope of attracting support from both towns. When the boroughs combined in 1967, the club renamed itself "Hartlepool" before re-renaming itself Hartlepool United in the 1970s. Many fans of the club still refer to the team as "Pools"
Fall out
After the war, industry went into a severe decline. Blanchland, the last ship to be constructed in Hartlepool, left the slips in 1961. In 1967, Betty James wrote how "if I had the luck to live anywhere in the North East [of England]...I would live near Hartlepool. If I had the luck". There was a boost to the retail sector in 1970 when Middleton Grange Shopping Centre was opened by Princess Anne, with over 130 new shops including Marks & Spencer and Woolworths.
Before the shopping centre was opened, the old town centre was located around Lynn Street, but most of the shops and the market had moved to a new shopping centre by 1974. Most of Lynn Street had by then been demolished to make way for a new housing estate. Only the north end of the street remains, now called Lynn Street North. This is where the Hartlepool Borough Council depot was based (alongside the Focus DIY store) until it moved to the marina in August 2006.
In 1977, the British Steel Corporation announced the closure of its Hartlepool steelworks with the loss of 1500 jobs. In the 1980s, the area was afflicted with extremely high levels of unemployment, at its peak consisting of 30 per cent of the town's working-age population, the highest in the United Kingdom. 630 jobs at British Steel were lost in 1983, and a total of 10,000 jobs were lost from the town in the economic de-industrialization of England's former Northern manufacturing heartlands. Between 1983 and 1999, the town lacked a cinema and areas of it became afflicted with the societal hallmarks of endemic economic poverty: urban decay, high crime levels, drug and alcohol dependency being prevalent.
Rise and the future
Docks near the centre were redeveloped and reopened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1993 as a marina with the accompanying National Museum of the Royal Navy opened in 1994, then known as the Hartlepool Historic Quay.
A development corporation is under consultation until August 2022 to organise projects, with the town's fund given to the town and other funds. Plans would be (if the corporation is formed) focused on the railway station, waterfront (including the Royal Navy Museum and a new leisure centre) and Church Street. Northern School of Art also has funds for a TV and film studios.
Governance
There is one main tier of local government covering Hartlepool, at unitary authority level: Hartlepool Borough Council. There is a civil parish covering Headland, which forms an additional tier of local government for that area; most of the rest of the urban area is an unparished area. The borough council is a constituent member of the Tees Valley Combined Authority, led by the directly elected Tees Valley Mayor. The borough council is based at the Civic Centre on Victoria Road.
Hartlepool was historically a township in the ancient parish of Hart. Hartlepool was also an ancient borough, having been granted a charter by King John in 1200. The borough was reformed to become a municipal borough in 1850. The council built Hartlepool Borough Hall to serve as its headquarters, being completed in 1866.
West Hartlepool was laid out on land outside Hartlepool's historic borough boundaries, in the neighbouring parish of Stranton. A body of improvement commissioners was established to administer the new town in 1854. The commissioners were superseded in 1887, when West Hartlepool was also incorporated as a municipal borough. The new borough council built itself a headquarters at the Municipal Buildings on Church Square, which was completed in 1889. An events venue and public hall on Raby Road called West Hartlepool Town Hall was subsequently completed in 1897. In 1902 West Hartlepool was elevated to become a county borough, making it independent from Durham County Council. The old Hartlepool Borough Council amalgamated with West Hartlepool Borough Council in 1967 to form a county borough called Hartlepool.
In 1974 the borough was enlarged to take in eight neighbouring parishes, and was transferred to the new county of Cleveland. Cleveland was abolished in 1996 following the Banham Review, which gave unitary authority status to its four districts, including Hartlepool. The borough was restored to County Durham for ceremonial purposes under the Lieutenancies Act 1997, but as a unitary authority it is independent from Durham County Council.
Emergency services
Hartlepool falls within the jurisdiction of Cleveland Fire Brigade and Cleveland Police. Before 1974, it was under the jurisdiction of the Durham Constabulary and Durham Fire Brigade. Hartlepool has two fire stations: a full-time station at Stranton and a retained station on the Headland.
Economy
Hartlepool's economy has historically been linked with the maritime industry, something which is still at the heart of local business. Hartlepool Dock is owned and run by PD Ports. Engineering related jobs employ around 1700 people. Tata Steel Europe employ around 350 people in the manufacture of steel tubes, predominantly for the oil industry. South of the town on the banks of the Tees, Able UK operates the Teesside Environmental Reclamation and Recycling Centre (TERRC), a large scale marine recycling facility and dry dock. Adjacent to the east of TERRC is the Hartlepool nuclear power station, an advanced gas-cooled reactor (AGR) type nuclear power plant opened in the 1980s. It is the single largest employer in the town, employing 1 per cent of the town's working age people.
The chemicals industry is important to the local economy. Companies include Huntsman Corporation, who produce titanium dioxide for use in paints, Omya, Baker Hughes and Frutarom.
Tourism was worth £48 million to the town in 2009; this figure excludes the impact of the Tall Ships 2010. Hartlepool's historic links to the maritime industry are centred on the Maritime Experience, and the supporting exhibits PS Wingfield Castle and HMS Trincomalee.
Camerons Brewery was founded in 1852 and currently employs around 145 people. It is one of the largest breweries in the UK. Following a series of take-overs, it came under the control of the Castle Eden Brewery in 2001 who merged the two breweries, closing down the Castle Eden plant. It brews a range of cask and bottled beers, including Strongarm, a 4% abv bitter. The brewery is heavily engaged in contract brewing such beers as Kronenbourg 1664, John Smith's and Foster's.
Orchid Drinks of Hartlepool were formed in 1992 after a management buy out of the soft drinks arm of Camerons. They manufactured Purdey's and Amé. Following a £67 million takeover by Britvic, the site was closed down in 2009.
Middleton Grange Shopping Centre is the main shopping location. 2800 people are employed in retail. The ten major retail companies in the town are Tesco, Morrisons, Asda, Next, Argos, Marks & Spencer, Aldi, Boots and Matalan. Aside from the local sports clubs, other local entertainment venues include a VUE Cinema and Mecca Bingo.
Companies that have moved operations to the town for the offshore wind farm include Siemens and Van Oord.
Culture and community
Festivals and Fairs
Since November 2014 the Headland has hosted the annual Wintertide Festival, which is a weekend long event that starts with a community parade on the Friday and culminating in a finale performance and fireworks display on the Sunday.
Tall Ships' Races
On 28 June 2006 Hartlepool celebrated after winning its bid to host The Tall Ships' Races. The town welcomed up to 125 tall ships in 2010, after being chosen by race organiser Sail Training International to be the finishing point for the race. Hartlepool greeted the ships, which sailed from Kristiansand in Norway on the second and final leg of the race. Hartlepool also hosted the race in July 2023.
Museums, art galleries and libraries
Hartlepool Art Gallery is located in Church Square within Christ Church, a restored Victorian church, built in 1854 and designed by the architect Edward Buckton Lamb (1806–1869). The gallery's temporary exhibitions change frequently and feature works from local artists and the permanent Fine Art Collection, which was established by Sir William Gray. The gallery also houses the Hartlepool tourist information centre.
The Heugh Battery Museum is located on the Headland. It was one of three batteries erected to protect Hartlepool's port in 1860. The battery was closed in 1956 and is now in the care of the Heugh Gun Battery Trust and home to an artillery collection.
Hartlepool is home to a National Museum of the Royal Navy (more specifically the NMRN Hartlepool). Previously known simply as The Historic Quay and Hartlepool's Maritime Experience, the museum is a re-creation of an 18th-century seaport with the exhibition centre-piece being a sailing frigate, HMS Trincomalee. The complex also includes the Museum of Hartlepool.
Willows was the Hartlepool mansion of the influential Sir William Gray of William Gray & Company and he gifted it to the town in 1920, after which it was converted to be the town's first museum and art gallery. Fondly known locally as "The Gray" it was closed as a museum in 1994 and now houses the local authority's culture department.
There are six libraries in Hartlepool, the primary one being the Community Hub Central Library. Others are Throston Grange Library, Community Hub North Library, Seaton Carew Library, Owton Manor Library and Headland Branch Library.
Sea
Hartlepool has been a major seaport virtually since it was founded, and has a long fishing heritage. During the industrial revolution massive new docks were created on the southern side of the channel running below the Headland, which gave rise to the town of West Hartlepool.
Now owned by PD Ports, the docks are still in use today and still capable of handling large vessels. However, a large portion of the former dockland was converted into a marina capable of berthing 500 vessels. Hartlepool Marina is home to a wide variety of pleasure and working craft, with passage to and from the sea through a lock.
Hartlepool also has a permanent RNLI lifeboat station.
Education
Secondary
Hartlepool has five secondary schools:
Dyke House Academy
English Martyrs School and Sixth Form College
High Tunstall College of Science
Manor Community Academy
St Hild's Church of England School
The town had planned to receive funding from central government to improve school buildings and facilities as a part of the Building Schools for the Future programme, but this was cancelled because of government spending cuts.
College
Hartlepool College of Further Education is an educational establishment located in the centre of the town, and existed in various forms for over a century. Its former 1960s campus was replaced by a £52million custom-designed building, it was approved in principle in July 2008, opened in September 2011.
Hartlepool also has Hartlepool Sixth Form College. It was a former grammar and comprehensive school, the college provides a number of AS and A2 Level student courses. The English Martyrs School and Sixth Form College also offers AS, A2 and other BTEC qualification to 16- to 18-year-olds from Hartlepool and beyond.
A campus of The Northern School of Art is a specialist art and design college and higher education, located adjacent to the art gallery on Church Square. The college has a further site in Middlesbrough that facilitates further education.
Territorial Army
Situated in the New Armoury Centre, Easington Road are the following units.
Royal Marines Reserve
90 (North Riding) Signal Squadron
Religion
They are multiple Church of England and Roman Catholic Churches in the town. St Hilda's Church is a notable church of the town, it was built on Hartlepool Abbey and sits upon a high point of the Headland. The churches of the Church of England's St Paul and Roman Catholic's St Joseph are next to each other on St Paul's Road. Nasir Mosque on Brougham Terrace is the sole purpose-built mosque in the town.
Sport
Football
Hartlepool United is the town's professional football club and they play at Victoria Park. The club's most notable moment was in 2005 when, with 8 minutes left in the 2005 Football League One play-off final, the team conceded a penalty, allowing Sheffield Wednesday to equalise and eventually beat Hartlepool to a place in the Championship. The club currently play in the National League.
Supporters of the club bear the nickname of Monkey Hangers. This is based upon a legend that during the Napoleonic wars a monkey, which had been a ship's mascot, was taken for a French spy and hanged. Hartlepool has also produced football presenter Jeff Stelling, who has a renowned partnership with Chris Kamara who was born in nearby Middlesbrough. Jeff Stelling is a keen supporter of Hartlepool and often refers to them when presenting Sky Sports News. It is also the birthplace and childhood home of Pete Donaldson, one of the co-hosts of the Football Ramble podcast as well as co-host of the Abroad in Japan podcast, and a prominent radio DJ.
The town also has a semi-professional football club called FC Hartlepool who play in Northern League Division Two.
Rugby union
Hartlepool is something of an anomaly in England having historically maintained a disproportionate number of clubs in a town of only c.90,000 inhabitants. These include(d) West Hartlepool, Hartlepool Rovers, Hartlepool Athletic RFC, Hartlepool Boys Brigade Old Boys RFC (BBOB), Seaton Carew RUFC (formerly Hartlepool Grammar School Old Boys), West Hartlepool Technical Day School Old Boys RUFC (TDSOB or Tech) and Hartlepool Old Boys' RFC (Hartlepool). Starting in 1904 clubs within eight miles (thirteen kilometres) of the headland were eligible to compete for the Pyman Cup which has been contested regularly since and that the Hartlepool & District Union continue to organise.
Perhaps the best known club outside the town is West Hartlepool R.F.C. who in 1992 achieved promotion to what is now the Premiership competing in 1992–93, 1994–95, 1995–96 and 1996–97 seasons. This success came at a price as soon after West was then hit by bankruptcy and controversially sold their Brierton Lane stadium and pitch to former sponsor Yuills Homes. There then followed a succession of relegations before the club stabilised in the Durham/Northumberland leagues. West and Rovers continue to play one another in a popular Boxing Day fixture which traditionally draws a large crowd.
Hartlepool Rovers, formed in 1879, who played at the Old Friarage in the Headland area of Hartlepool before moving to West View Road. In the 1890s Rovers supplied numerous county, divisional and international players. The club itself hosted many high-profile matches including the inaugural Barbarians F.C. match in 1890, the New Zealand Maoris in 1888 and the legendary All Blacks who played against a combined Hartlepool Club team in 1905. In the 1911–12 season, Hartlepool Rovers broke the world record for the number of points scored in a season racking up 860 points including 122 tries, 87 conversions, five penalties and eleven drop goals.
Although they ceased competing in the RFU leagues in 2008–09, West Hartlepool TDSOB (Tech) continues to support town and County rugby with several of the town's other clubs having played at Grayfields when their own pitches were unavailable. Grayfields has also hosted a number of Durham County cup finals as well as County Under 16, Under 18 and Under 20 age group games.
Olympics
Boxing
At the 2012 Summer Olympics, 21-year-old Savannah Marshall, who attended English Martyrs School and Sixth Form College in the town of Hartlepool, competed in the Women's boxing tournament of the 2012 Olympic Games. She was defeated 12–6 by Marina Volnova of Kazakhstan in her opening, quarter-final bout. Savannah Marshall is now a professional boxer, currently unbeaten as a pro and on 31 October 2020 in her 9th professional fight Marshall became the WBO female middleweight champion with a TKO victory over opponent Hannah Rankin at Wembley Arena.
Swimming
In August 2012 Jemma Lowe, a British record holder who attended High Tunstall College of Science in the town of Hartlepool, competed in the 2012 Olympic Games. She finished sixth in the 200-metre butterfly final with a time of 58.06 seconds. She was also a member of the eighth-place British team in the 400m Medley relay.
Monkeys
Hartlepool is known for allegedly executing a monkey during the Napoleonic Wars. According to legend, fishermen from Hartlepool watched a French warship founder off the coast, and the only survivor was a monkey, which was dressed in French military uniform, presumably to amuse the officers on the ship. The fishermen assumed that this must be what Frenchmen looked like and, after a brief trial, summarily executed the monkey.
Historians have pointed to the prior existence of a Scottish folk song called "And the Boddamers hung the Monkey-O". It describes how a monkey survived a shipwreck off the village of Boddam near Peterhead in Aberdeenshire. Because the villagers could only claim salvage rights if there were no survivors from the wreck, they allegedly hanged the monkey. There is also an English folk song detailing the later event called, appropriately enough, "The Hartlepool Monkey". In the English version the monkey is hanged as a French spy.
"Monkey hanger" and Chimp Choker are common terms of (semi-friendly) abuse aimed at "Poolies", often from footballing rivals Darlington. The mascot of Hartlepool United F.C. is H'Angus the monkey. The man in the monkey costume, Stuart Drummond, stood for the post of mayor in 2002 as H'angus the monkey, and campaigned on a platform which included free bananas for schoolchildren. To widespread surprise, he won, becoming the first directly elected mayor of Hartlepool, winning 7,400 votes with a 52% share of the vote and a turnout of 30%. He was re-elected by a landslide in 2005, winning 16,912 on a turnout of 51% – 10,000 votes more than his nearest rival, the Labour Party candidate.
The monkey legend is also linked with two of the town's sports clubs, Hartlepool Rovers RFC, which uses the hanging monkey as the club logo. Hartlepool (Old Boys) RFC use a hanging monkey kicking a rugby ball as their tie crest.
Notable residents
Michael Brown, former Premier League footballer
Edward Clarke, artist
Brian Clough, football manager who lived in the Fens estate in town while manager of Hartlepools United
John Darwin, convicted fraudster who faked his own death
Pete Donaldson, London radio DJ and podcast host
Janick Gers, guitarist from British heavy metal band Iron Maiden
Courtney Hadwin, singer
Jack Howe, former England international footballer
Liam Howe, music producer and songwriter for several artists and member of the band Sneaker Pimps
Saxon Huxley, WWE NXT UK wrestler
Andy Linighan, former Arsenal footballer who scored the winning goal in the 1993 FA Cup Final
Savannah Marshall, professional boxer
Stephanie Aird, comedian and television personality
Jim Parker, composer
Guy Pearce, film actor who lived in the town when he was younger as his mother was from the town
Narbi Price, artist
Jack Rowell, coached the England international rugby team and led them to the semi-final of the 1995 Rugby World Cup
Wayne Sleep, dancer and actor who spent his childhood in the town.
Reg Smythe, cartoonist who created Andy Capp
Jeremy Spencer, guitarist who was in the original Fleetwood Mac line-up
Jeff Stelling, TV presenter, famous for hosting Gillette Soccer Saturday
David Eagle, Folk singer and stand-up comedian,
Local media
Hartlepool Life - local free newspaper
Hartlepool Mail – local newspaper
BBC Radio Tees – BBC local radio station
Radio Hartlepool – Community radio station serving the town
Hartlepool Post – on-line publication
Local television news programmes are BBC Look North and ITV News Tyne Tees.
Town twinning
Hartlepool is twinned with:
France Sète, France
Germany Hückelhoven, Germany (since 1973)
United States Muskegon, Michigan
Malta Sliema, Malta
For years I went to most of the home matches - and a few away fixtures - of Stafford Rangers. Eventually I tired of the tired facilities, worsening refreshments, moaning about officials (by home supporters), and uninspiring play. But I do have some fond memories and might be tempted back one day - provided I can park nearby, the weather is good, the crowd are fair and the football worth watching. Surely that's not too much to ask?
Today the Hereios of the We’re Here! Group are reviewing Memories.
13 February, First day of Spring in Bengali Year...
Location: Fine Arts Institute, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
This graphic illustrates the strong link between areas with high densities of industrial activity and zones of seasonally oxygen-depleted waters. There is a strong link between areas with high densities of industrial activity and zones of seasonal oxygen-depleted waters. In recent years there has been an increasing focus on treating and reducing municipal and industrial waste, and on reducing nitrogen levels in agricultural runoff. However, less attention has been paid to the continually increasing nitrogen emissions into the atmosphere. It is believed that between 10% and 70% of the fixed nitrogen input in many coastal regions is currently delivered by rain and the fallout of nitrogen compounds from the atmosphere. GESAMP (Joint Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Environment Protection) recommends that atmospheric nitrogen must be included among the nutrient sources assessed as part of the management of coastal water quality. Political factors are also of major significance, as the primary causes of atmospheric anthropogenic nitrogen result from energy generation and transportation, and thus from society’s economic and social activities (GESAMP, 2001). Urgent actions to control land-based activities: At the technical, management and policy levels, the most urgent actions needed, for controlling land-based activities, in order to improve the quality of the marine environment, are: - prevent habitat destruction and the loss of biodiversity through education, combined with the development and enforcement of legal, institutional and economic measures appropriate to local circumstances - establish protected areas for habitats and sites of exceptional scenic beauty or cultural value - devote primary management attention to the control of pollution from sewage, nutrients (especially nitrogen) and sediment mobilization - design national policies that take account of the economic value of environmental goods and services, and provide for the internalization of environmental costs - integrate the management of coastal areas and associated watersheds (GESAMP, 2001) It has been estimated that about 80% of all marine pollution originates from land-based activity, reaching the ocean directly, via rivers, or through atmospheric depositions: - Inputs of nitrates to the North Sea, for example, have risen four-fold, and phosphate inputs eight-fold, since the 1970s, causing eutrophication and tides of toxic algae that have killed stocks in offshore fish farms (Harrison and Pearce, 2001). - Severe eutrophication has been discovered in several enclosed or semi-enclosed seas (UNEP, 2002). - Eutrophication has been linked to the formation of ‘dead zones’ on the ocean floor. One of the largest known ’dead zones’ is found along the United States shoreline of the Gulf of Mexico, which receives large volumes of fertilizer from the Mississippi River system (Harrison and Pearce, 2001). - The collapse of the Baltic Sea cod fishery in the early 1990s is blamed on oxygen loss in deep waters due to eutrophication, which interfered with the development of cod eggs. - Eutrophication can also cause harmful algal blooms (HABs), which can harm fish and shellfish, as well as the people who consume them. Some algae can cause negative effects when they appear in dense blooms, while others have such potent neurotoxins they do not need to be present in large numbers.
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This photo has been graciously provided to be used in the GRID-Arendal resources library by: Philippe Rekacewicz, February 2006
Launch of the IAEA Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellowship Programme held at the Agency headquarters in Vienna, Austria. 9 March 2020
Photo Credit: Dean Calma / IAEA
Moderator:
Sophie Boutaud de la Combe, Moderator and IAEA Director, Office of Public Information and Communication, Director General’s Office for Coordination
PANELISTS:
Ms Karen Hallberg, Principle Researcher, Bariloche Atomic Centre, National Atomic Energy Commission and Professor, Physics, Balseiro, Institute, Argentina
HE Mr Xavier Sticker, Resident Representative of France to the IAEA
HE Ms Dominika Anna Krois, Resident Representative of Poland to the IAEA
I decided to begin my ‘Streets Of Ireland 2016’ programme with a visit to Kilkenny and unfortunately I was a bit unlucky with the weather as it rained for most of my three day visit. On Monday I walked around the city centre photographing at random.
Kilkenny is a city located in south-east part of Ireland and the county town of County Kilkenny. It is on both banks of the River Nore in the province of Leinster. The city is administered by a Borough Council and a Mayor which is a level below that of city council in the Local government of the state although the Local Government Act 2001 allows for "the continued use of the description city". The borough has a population of 8,711, but the majority of the population lives outside the borough boundary: the 2011 Irish Census gives the total population of the Borough and Environs as 24,423.
Kilkenny is a popular tourist destination. In 2009 the City of Kilkenny celebrated its 400th year since the granting of city status in 1609. Though referred to as a city, Kilkenny City is the size of a large town, most equatable in size to the town of Navan, situated on the banks of the Boyne in county Meath.
Kilkenny's heritage is evident in the city and environs including the historic buildings such as Kilkenny Castle, St. Canice's Cathedral and round tower, Rothe House, Shee Alms House, Black Abbey, St. Mary's Cathedral, Kilkenny Town Hall, St. Francis Abbey, Grace's Castle, and St. John's Priory.
Kilkenny is well known for its culture with craft and design workshops, the Watergate Theatre, public gardens and museums. Annual events include Kilkenny Arts Festival,the Cat Laughs comedy festival and music at the Rhythm and Roots festival and the Source concert. It is a popular base from which to explore the surrounding towns, villages and countryside. Controversy exists at the moment around the Kilkenny Central Access Scheme which is a road proposed to be built through the city centre.
Kilkenny began with an early sixth century ecclesiastical foundation within the kingdom of Ossory. Following Norman invasion of Ireland, Kilkenny Castle and a series of walls were built to protect the burghers of what became a Norman merchant town. William Marshall, Lord of Leinster, gave Kilkenny a charter as a town in 1207. By the late thirteenth century Kilkenny was under Norman-Irish control. The Statutes of Kilkenny passed at Kilkenny in 1367, aimed to curb the decline of the Hiberno-Norman Lordship of Ireland. In 1609 King James I of England granted Kilkenny a Royal Charter giving it the status of a city. Following the Rebellion of 1641, the Irish Catholic Confederation, also known as the "Confederation of Kilkenny", was based in Kilkenny and lasted until the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland in 1649.
Kilkenny was a famous brewing centre from the late seventeenth century. In the late twentieth century Kilkenny is a tourist and creative centre.
The Heritage Council offices are located at Church Lane. The seat of the Roman Catholic Bishop of Ossory is at St. Mary's Cathedral and the Church of Ireland Bishop of Cashel and Ossory is at St. Canice's Cathedral. Nearby larger cities include Waterford 45 kilometres (28 mi) south-southeast, Limerick 93 kilometres (58 mi) west and Dublin 101 kilometres (63 mi) northeast.
Participants of UN Women’s Second Chance Education programme are learning in a classroom setting at a women’s empowerment hub in Gaya, a district in the state of Bihar, India. The programme has set up 12 “women’s empowerment hubs” in 12 districts - community centres where women can come to learn in classrooms, gain vocational training, and in some areas, access online learning programmes. In this photo, the women learners are wearing masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
UN Women’s Second Chance Education programme in India is helping women re-enter formal education, get vocational and skills training, and secure employment or entrepreneurial opportunities. The programme is running in four Indian states – Bihar, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Odisha – covering 12 districts and 200 villages which have some of the highest rates of poverty and lowest indicators for gender equality. It’s funded by BHP Foundation and implemented by Professional Assistance for Development Action (PRADAN) as the lead partner with eight other non-governmental organizations .
Photo: UN Women/Second Chance Education Programme
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In 2018, UN Women initiated the development of a Second Chance Education and Vocational Learning (SCE) programme that would provide marginalized women who have lost out on education with pathways to employment through a tailored learn-to-earn approach. Despite the increasing investments in access to quality education and specifically girls’ education, half a billion women are still illiterate worldwide.
A family day - learning and entertainment for the kids and input for parents. The final activity for the day was learning how to make ANZAC biscuits - a favourite NZ cookie.